Injury update: Rafalski, Kopecky out; new unis set for home debut

Defenseman Brian Rafalski (hip) won't play tonight's home exhibition opener but should be ready to go in a few days. Center Tomas Kopecky hurt his groin Thursday (he wasn't slated to play in the game) and won't play Friday's home game vs. Pittsburgh, but it's nothing serious.

.... Wings coach Mike Babcock was asked about the NHL's new, sleeker RBK Edge uniforms, which Detroit fans will see for the first time tonight: "I almost asked Cheli (Chris Chelios) the other day before the game, but I thought he might snap so I didn't. We're an Original Six team, I like things the same but we're supposed to embrace change in life and I'm doing that.''

There isn't much noticeable change in the Wings' unis, the most notable being Nicklas Lidstrom's "C'' as captain and the "A'' on Kris Draper and Henrik Zetterberg's jerseys were moved to the other side because of the tapered cut of the sweater.

.... A couple of players had their dressing room stalls moved so they could be next to players the club hopes will sort of serve as their mentors. Valtteri Filppula is next to Zetterberg, in the stall once occupied by Steve Yzerman. Dallas Drake is next to Kopecky. If Derek Meech makes the team, he'll be next to Chelios, likewise for Igor Grigorenko and Pavel Datsyuk.

"That's the way things go and that's what we do,'' Babcock said. "Right now we're trying to see who' going to be next to who. A big part of the coaching that goes on on this team, the coaching staff does part of it, the players do a lot of it, too/ That's been passed on over time here. When Scotty (Bowman) came here (in 1993) he cleaned out the people that weren't great people. We pride ourselves in having good people who make players around them better.''